Halt's Showdown
by RangerHeron
Summary: Sequel to Halt's Secret. After Seamus' escape, Halt becomes obsessed with catching Seamus. And getting the showdown the both want.
1. Obsession

**Hey y'all, I'm back! Sorry for the delay, I'm gonna try to publish a new chapter once a week. Feel free to nudge me if I'm late.**

**Chapter One: Obsession**

Halt bit back another angry comment. "It's fine, it's fine." He waved it off, and turned away.

Again? AGAIN?! Really. This was the fourth village they'd been to with someone claiming to have information. The fourth. They all had nothing.

Halt growled. Moving on, then.

Gilan stood next to the window of their room. Will's numerous cuts were doing nicely, they'd used a mixture Malcolm had invented to paste on them and the cuts healed up almost immediatelty. The bombs had been inspired by Malcolm too. He'd came up with all sorts of things to scare people from Grimsdell Wood, and one in particular had need only a little tweaking.

Halt had been happy to put all the blame for the horrendous fake beard on Will. It was believable, but, just not practical.

Gilan's eye caught on Halt storming down the street towards the inn. "He's coming back."

Will barely glanced up from his parchments. "Angry as ever?"

Gilan nodded. He stepped away from the window and let the curtain fall back. "He's getting obssessed. He still isn't listening to me."

Will scrunched his mouth up and shrugged. He shuffled the parchments, and scribbled a note on one. "What do want me to do? He's not listening to me any better than you. Worse actually."

Gilan sat on the cot in the corner. That was true. Halt had pulled away from all of them considerbly in the past two weeks. Will had retreated into himself too. Horace was even noticing it all.

The door busrt open. Halt strode in.

Will didn't look up, Gilan sighed. "The same as the rest?"

Halt growled. "Why are we going to all these idiots?"

Gilan stood. "Eventually one of them will know something."

Halt rolled his eyes and plopped into a chair.

Gilan looked Halt over. His face was tired, eyes a bit red, shoulders stiff, jaw set. If this kept up, Gilan would have to make Halt go home. If he could make Halt listen. If it came to it, he'd send a letter to Crowley.

"What're you looking at?" Halt snapped, his burr was getting stronger.

"You need to stop. You're obssessed."

"I am not-!"

Gilan cut him off. "Yes you are. If you don't listen to me, I'll tell Pauline." he raised a brow in challenge.

Halt huffed. "Fine." he eyed Gilan, then leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Pauline always worked. At least for now.

~A~A~A~

Gilan sat slightly hunched over on Blaze, as they trudged forward.

Horace rode beside Gilan. Halt and Will were a little ways behind them, silence reigned.

"Hartouin's only a couple kilometers ahead," Gilan said.

Horace nodded. He glanced back then sighed. "I thought they were doing better, after rescuing us and all," he whispered.

Gilan shrugged. "They were. Halt's caught up in this Seamus buisness. Him escaping is grating on Halt."

Horace's brow furrowed. "It's only been two weeks-"

Gilan cut him off with a look.

They had to do something.


	2. Adam

**Hey! I've got a new chapter. So sorry it took me so long. I'm just moving slower tan anticipated. (I suspect it's some sort of writer's block. I _want _to write. But I'm not motivated to.)** Please review!

**Chapter Two: Adam**

Seamus checked the map again. It should be right were they stood. He crumpled the map up in his good fist.

Stupid map. How had he managed to get probably the only outdated map in all of Hibernia?

Seamus shoved it in his saddlebags, instead of throwing it.

He slouched back in his saddle, and sucked in a breath. He had to get to a healer, his shoulder probabaly had an infection. That stupid ranger, getting ideas, throwing knives.

Impulsively, Seamus glanced back. Nobody, obviously. But they were on his trail, that much he was sure of. Who knew how close behind him they could be.

Seamus sat forward in the saddle, and urged his horse forward. No use staying in one spot, he'd come to a village eventually.

Hopefully before he died.

~A~A~A~

Seamus blinked. It blurred worse. He muttered a curse.

His mind was foggy, and his head pounded.

He slipped off his horse and laid down.

I'm gonna die, he thought. And he'd not finished his plan. . .

The blackness rose up and claimed him. So he was unconscious and didn't notice some time later when another man found him.

~A~A~A~

The aroma of coffee filled Seamus' senses. Instinctively, he inhaled and opened his eyes.

Wait. He was supposed to have died. He reached over an felt his shoulder. It had been bandaged.

He sat up. Another man squated with his back to Seamus. But even still, Seamus recognized him. Weeks of tension seeped away.

"Adam, you found me."

Adam turned and grinned. "Aye. It's good to see ya awake." Adam held up a coffee cup. "Care for some?"

Seamus settled himself. "Yes, please. How've things gone for you?"

Adam shrugged. "Well enough. I've perfected my Araluen accent." he grinned a moment. "I found some information that could be of some use, I suppose."

Adam paused, mulling over something. "I'm gonna hurt him. I can't stand the arrogant cur."

Adam snorted "He tried to change my name."

Seamus raised a brow, Halt had been annoyed. He'd donebsuh things as a child. "What'd he call you?"

Adam pursed his lips. "Amos."


	3. Calling In Reinforcements

**Hi! I'm back, I promise you I'm really trying to post consistantly. There was some personal stuff going on (happy stuff, thankfully) that took my attention. Plus there's other stuff I'm writing. I've settled into a writing routine, though. So, things are looking up.**

**Chapter Three****:** **Calling In Reinforcements**

Gilan propped his elbows on the desk and leaned his chin on his fists. "When did he leave?"

Horace scratched his head. "About an hour ago. Right after you left."

Off to Gilan's right, Will pretended to doze in a chair. He was acting indifferent since Seamus' announcement weeks earlier. But Gilan suspected there was more to it.

"We can't do much about it. He's a grown man." Gilan started

Will scoffed.

"He can take care of himself, he won't rush off half cocked." Gilan finished.

"Except that's exactly what he's doing. But, I don't care, let him go." Will said.

He was bitter, Halt was losing sight of everything , Gilan was unable to do anything about it. He leaned back in his chair. "We'll continue following Seamus, if Halt's having any luck we'll catch up to him soon enough."

Will shrugged.

"When are we leaving?" Horace asked.

"In an hour. Will, get your pack ready." Gilan pushed his chair back and stood.

Will forced himself up from his slouch and went to his room to pack.

Gilan rolled his eyes. "I feel like the parent of some sulky teenagers."

Horace let out a loud laugh. "Well, I've always heard the trick is to get their mom to straighten them out." He stood to follow Will.

"You know, I think that's exactly what I'm gonna do." Gilan said to himself. "Exactly what I'm gonna do."

He sat back down and pulled out a sheet of parchement and pen. It was time to call in reinforcements.

Gilan glanced over the letter, then back to the map beside him. He folded the letter and adressed it. "That should do it." He started out the door.

He stepped in on Horace and Will. "I'm heading out for a moment. I'll be back before we leave."

Will barely acknowledged him.

"Do you need me to pack your things?" Horace paused in the middle of stuffing a shirt in his bag.

Gilan glanced from the shirt to Horace. "I'm fine."

Horace shrugged.

It only took Gilan a few minutes to find a suitable messenger. He had to pay the young man a bit more than he would've liked, but the journey took several days if you didn't run into trouble.

Once the letter was off, Gilan headed back to the inn. He hadn't really packed. And at this rate he'd end up having to use Horace's packing methods.

Gilan took the stairs two at a time. He stopped for a breath at the top.

Horace stood in the doorway. "Great! I almost starting packing your clothes for you."

Yeah, that would've been a disaster. Gilan slid past Horace. "Thanks man, I've got it now."

Gilan quickly transferred his clothes into one side of his saddlebags, and made sure his gear was properly stowed in the other.

He grabbed his bedroll and slipped his saddlebags over his shoulder. "Alright, I'm ready. Did you and Will get the horses ready?"

Horace stepped into the hall. "Yeah, I got 'em."

Gilan understood, Will was still sulking.

Will sat slumped on Tug. Gilan cast a frustrated glance back towards Will.

Halt left, Gilan was mad, Horace uncertain. They weren't even talking to him. No one was, he was back to being the unwanted orphan that people didn't lknow how to deal with so they were just avoiding him.

_I'm still talking to you,_ Tug rumbled. _I haven't forgotten you._

Will sighed, _but you're a horse. A horse Tug _

_Yeah, but I'm still talking to you, that's the point._ Tug tossed his main.

He wished someone reliable was there. Gilan was reliable, but, he was focused on getting this all sorted out. Will wanted someone reliable that would stop for a few minutes to . . . to ask him how he was doing or something like that.

_It's mostly Seamus'_, Tug popped back in, _well it's Halt's too I guess. But Seamus is the one who drew you here, and told you Halt's your father_. Tug continued to ramble on.

Will shook his head, at least Tug was trying to cheer him up. _Trying. _


	4. The Wrath of Pauline

**Thanks so much for being patient (I say that as if you had a choice.) I'm sorry I've made Halt so awful in this story, but he's going to be back to normal soon.****This chapter was super fun to write. I promise I'll try to have more Will feels next chapter. Please review!**

**Chapter** **Four: The Wrath of Pauline**

They were almost to the next village, Gilan had given up trying to remember the names anymore. In the last four days since he'd sent the letter, they'd gone through at least ten villages. Apparently the Hibernian countryside was full of little villages. Half of which weren't even on the map.

He'd got a short reply. If Gilan was correct about them having caught up to Halt, then hopefully his idea would work.

Hopefully.

And then he needed to figure out what was going with Will. He'd descended into silence in the past few days. He seemed to be taking the father news pretty hard, who wouldn't?

But sulking? That wasn't Will. Gilan glanced over to Will.

Will stared at him, without saying anything.

"That's Agser." Horace's words drizzled off as he likely realized he was wasting effort.

Will nodded. He'd gotten very into nodding, shrugging, shaking his head, and things of that nature. Really, any thing that allowed him to not talk.

Gilan nudged Blaze forward, down the hill towards Agser. "I think we're finally caught up to Halt." he glanced sideways to Will.

Will sighed, his face flashed a glimpse of pain a moment. "Wonderful." he looked away.

Gilan waved to some villagers as they entered. He stopped a sturdy farmer with a wave.

"Aye, sir. What d'ya be needing?" the farmer leaned against his staff.

"Is their an inn here?" Gilan asked.

His face became apologetic. "It burnt a coupla weeks ago. We're still rebuildin'."

They'd manage just as well camping out. "Well, thank you anyway."

The farmer waved and continued on.

Gilan surveyed the forest in view outside the village. "We'll camp back off the road a ways over there." Gilan pointed out a spot.

"That seems a good spot, great choice Gil." Horace tried to put extra energy and excitement into it. But, it was obvious the sullenness and interpersonal difficulties were starting to weigh on him. Or maybe he was tired from riding all day so many days in a row. Who knew.

That night after they ha set up camp, Gilan pulled Halt's trick with the coffee. Except he was only trying to make Will sleep.

Gilan pulled Horace off to the side while Will was collecting some firewood. "Horace, I need your help. I'll explain it all later- there's no time now. I have to slip some sleeping powder in Will's drink."

Horace nodded. "Okay. What do you need me to do?"

Gilan proceeded to lay out the simple plan. Horace would distract Will, and Gilan would mix the sleeping powder in. Gilan had even taken the time to devise a way to distract Will that Will would fall for.

The whole affair took less than a minute after the coffee had boiled, and dinner cooked.

Will didn't suspect it in the least. There'd been so little talking as of late, he never noticed the lack of conversation.

Gilan sighed in relief as Will slipped into sleep. As soon Will was in a deep sleep, Gilan explained the whole plan to Horace.

"I sent for Lady Pauline. She should be here by now, I figured she could pull Halt out of this."

Horace nodded in agreement. "But are you sure Halt's here?"

"Definitely. Lady Pauline confirmed it." Gilan buckled his sword back around him. "You're going to bring Will to a specific spot marked on that map." he handed it to Horace. "I'm going to bring Halt. Be there within the hour." Gilan stood and resaddled Blaze, then he was off.

It took Gilan a little longer to find Halt than he'd intended. So he amended his plan of convincing Halt he needed to come for some urgent reason, to sneaking up on him and knocking him out. Which he'd thankfully prepared for.

Gilan was just hoping Halt was either asleep, or so wrapped up in finding Seamus his normally sharp eyes and ears wouldn't catch Gilan.

Finally, Gilan spotted firelight flickerig through the trees. He slipped off Blaze and made the hand sign for stay.

He took a deep breath. He'd snuck up on countless skilled criminals in his many years as a ranger. He could certainly sneak up on a grumpy old ranger.

Gilan slunk forward, molding to the man shadows cast in the dim moonlight.

He slipped forward, less than a meter from Halt's camp.

Halt was snoring hard, Gilan held back a sigh.

He couldn't choke him till he passed out, Halt would likely wake the instant Gilan touched him.

Gilan pulled a small bottle only about six or seven centimeters high out and poured the contents on a small cloth he'd brought with him.

He'd procured it at the same time as the sleeping powder for Will. The apothecary owner had promised it would knock a man out dead if the caught a wiff.

Gilan doubted it was that strong, but it would serve it's purpose.

Gilan slipped forward, and in one instant, grabbed hold of Halt, and covered his mouth and nose with the soaked cloth.

Halt tried to scream, and kick Gilan for several minutes before he started slipping into unconsciousness.

Finally Gilan removed the cloth, Halt looked to be in a peaceful sort of sleep.

Gilan tied him up just in case he tried something, and whistled for Blaze.

He was going to be late if he didn't hurry.

~A~A~A~

Will groaned. What was wrong? He didn't feel right. He'd gone to sleep to quickly.

He forced his eyes open.

Halt lay asleep in front of him.

Pain shot through him. Will flinched. Then he glanced past Halt. He made out three figures. Gilan, Horace, and. . . Pauline?

He was dreaming. He closed his eyes and opened them again. Gilan, Horace,and Pauline still stood in the flickering torchlight.

Pauline was really there.

Will forced himself up. "Pauline?"

Her gaze met his. "Oh, Will."

Will stumbled over to her and fell into her arms. She held onto him, rubbing his back. "It's okay. Gilan's told me it all. I'm here."

Tears slipped down Will's face, they soon turned into full fledged sobs.

She held him for a while, whispering soothing things.

Then she stiffened.

Will quickly wiped his tears away. and looked back. Halt was awake.

Pauline gave Will a squeeze, and stepped forward.

Halt was glaring harder than usual, and was grumpier looking than usual.

"Who did it? Gilan?" Halt eyed Gilan.

But before Gilan could reply, Pauline came down on him.

"It was my idea. Look what tou've done to Will." Pauline got in his face.

Halt glanced around Pauline. "You're saying I did that?" He grumbled, rolling his eyes.

That familiar pain returned, hard and sharp.

Pauline slapped Halt hard across the face.

Halt jerked back in utter shock. "What was that?"

"You've become obsessed with finding this old enemy of yours. And you pushed everyone away.

Will was like a son to you. He is your son. And you run off like a madman after this Seamus." Pauline had turned into Halt's nightmare.

Will just stood there, watching.

"I was just trying to-" Halt stuttered.

Pauline cut him off. "I don't want a word out of you. They care about you."

She pointed to Will, Horace, and Gilan. "And you betray their love!"

She was fiercer than a hundred thunderstorms and two starving mother bears combined.

Halt was no longer half asleep and grumpy.

He shrank under her gaze. "I'm sorry. I'll- I'll stop this all. I'll do whatever you want." He scrambled to appease her.

She frowned at him "You had better."


	5. Apologies

**So, I'm on a roll guys. Please note, if there were any random unattributed thoughts in the last scene of the last chapter, they were probably supposed to be Will's. I was intending to write that angry-Pauline scene in Will's POV. I wrote the last bit in a rush. The same with this chapter.**

**Chapter**** Five: Apologies**

Everyone rose late after the events of last night.

When Will rose the next morning he found Halt sitting before the fire, making coffee. Their eyes met, Will almost flinched and turned away.

Halt looked down. Will hadn't ever reacted to him like that. He'd admired Halt to the point that sometimes Halt felt a need to discourage it.

Halt glance back to Will. "Want me to pour you a cup? Or-"

Will quickly shook his head, and jumped up and left.

Halt sighed.

"Go talk to him."

Halt wipped around at Pauline's voice. "I will. But, Pauline, I'd like to explain this to you. I don't know what Gilan told you-"

Pauline gave him a look. "You can talk to me later. You hurt him. You'd better fix it. Apologize."

Halt nodded and slipped after Will.

He found Will sitting high in a tree, like back when he and Horace were enemies and they still lived at the ward.

Will looked down to Halt, his face expressionless, then he continued staring out into nothing.

Halt wasn't much of a tree climber, but if he didn't get up there, Pauline was likely to drag him up there.

So Halt grabbed the lowest branch and pulled himself up. It didn't take him too long, since Halt wasn't completely inexperienced when it came to climbing.

Halt pulled himself onto a thicker branch beside Will.

Halt hadn't apologized very much before. Princes usually weren't required, at least not a serious apology, and he didn't usually. . . mess up. "Um, Will."

Will's face was tense. "Shouldn't you be off tracking your mortal enemy." he quipped.

Halt rubbed his face. He'd barely started and he was messing up. "No, I shouldn't."

Will's head snapped back to face Halt.

"He needs caught. But, I don't know, I guess I got too caught up in catching him."

Halt fumbled for more words. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't just left, or cut you out. I. . . I reacted badly. I didn't think all that would ever come out. And then I was just that angry runaway prince again, bitter with everyone, wanting revenge. I let myslef forget I was hurting you, and Gilan, and Horace, and Pauline. I'm sorry."

Will blinked. Then took a deep breath and seemed to try to shove his emotions back. "Okay. I guess I should forgive you."

Halt stood on his branch and slipped over to Will's and sat down.

Will figeted with his shirt. "So, where are we going next?"

Halt leaned over and pulled Will into a hug. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I did betray you, didn't I? Pauline's right. I'm sorry I left you, I didn't know what to do. But you were still my responsibility."

Will sucked in another breath. "I'm an adult. I can take care of myself."

"No, when you were a baby. You were right, being scared didn't give the right to abandon you. It wasn't your fault things had went how they went." Halt held onto Will tightly. "You know, when I found you, when your adopted mother had died? You were so happy to see me. You remembered me. She thought you were a fussy baby she told me before she died. But when I had you, you hardly ever fussed." Halt smiled a little. "I loved you then. Even though I left you. That's why I watched you. I wanted to make sure you were okay. I'm sorry I left you. I still love you. I just messed up."

Tears started leaking out of Halt's eyes.

Will pulled away. "I forgive you, everybody messes up. And I love you too."

Halt just hugged him again. "Maybe we should get down and see if there's any breakfast."

Will nodded and started down, Halt after him.

Back at their camp, the others were pretty silent.

Someone had fixed indeed fixed breakfast.

Will fixed himself a plate. Halt glanced to Pauline. "I suppose I need to talk to you now."

She set down her plate. "Yes." They slipped off.

Halt spent a good fifteen to twenty minutes explaining the whole situation.

Gilan had only told Pauline the are minimum.

Halt would've liked to skim over the parts about Alina. But, Pauline wasn't.

"When did you meet her?" She demanded.

"A little while after I ran away." Halt stared at his feet.

"How long were you together?" she continued.

Halt shrugged. "It was a long time ago. I don't really remember." He really just wanted to leave the past in the past.

He looked up. Pauline was watching him closely.

"Are you feeling threatened?" He ventured.

Her eyes narrowed.

"That was all long ago." Halt moved beside her. "I cared for her then. But I love you. You're the only one that's ever been for me." he whispered, slipping his arm around her.

She still seemed uncertain.

"Do you think I would've made myself propose if I didn't love you and only you?" he muttered. "I wouldn't put myself through that if I loved someone else. Honestly."

He leaned over and kissed her.

She smiled. "You're right."

They kissed again. Forgetting there were other things to do.

Halt held her close. "I'm glad you came."

"Me too." she leaned her head against him.

**Please tell me what you think! I feel like I'm not doing that great. Did y'all like the Halt/Pauline moments? Or Halt and Will's father-son apology part? I cannot tell how I'm doing.**


	6. Chapter Six

**Anyways, new chapter, y'all.**

**Chapter**** Six**

Seamus gingerly felt his wound. It was still tender, but healing quickly.

Adam looked up from his notes on the table.

They were currently sitting in a little room in an inn in the town of Craigsy.

Town. Seamus was a good bit excited to be in an actual town, not a village. He'd been through so many villages crawling with stupid farmers.

Adam grunted. "Ah, not too brilliant, but a great deal cleverer than he'd expect. 'Sides, he's left the other three and set out on his own to catch ya all by himself."

Seamus came to his feet. "Even Alina's son? I'd not expected that. He's quite obsessed then, aye?"

Adam grinned. "Yep. I'd think so. He's in no state to outwit a two month old fawn." he let out a harsh laugh. "He's so easy to fool, It doesn't seem fair."

"That makes it all the better." Seamus quipped. They both burst out laughing.

~A~A~A~

Halt coiled up some rope and set it with the other things.

They had stayed at Gilan's camp outside Agser for two days, getting supplies, resting, and mostly he and Will were easing back into a comfortable relationship.

Which was pretty much the same one they had before Halt's obsessive phase.

Gilan had fallen into the role as the leader while Halt was gone, and was taking up a responsible role.

Not that Gilan was usually irresponsible, just not the most responsible one naturally. Particularly during his apprenticeship. He'd gotten arguably better after becoming responsible for a fief.

And so, Gilan had been coming up with a plan for capturing Seamus.

It wasn't too elaborate, naturally. Ranger plans never were.

Halt glanced back to the little fire where all the others were gathered, drinking coffee. He swallowed and turned away. He knelt and absentmindedly rearranged things.

He'd let himself be such an idiot. Ignore them all. He glanced back to them, they didn't seem to notice he wasn't sitting.

Gilan stirred honey into his coffee. "The first part of my plan is for myself to track down Seamus. I'll see if he has forces with him, what he may be expecting." Gilan looked around, meeting Halt's gaze momentarily, as if to say you're included.

"Meanwhile, you all will be following behind me. After I've scouted out his camp, we'll meet back up, and construct a plan to capture him."

~A~A~A~

Gilan stopped, smoke in the air. Not much smoke, it was from a small fire but it was definitely there.

He'd left the others two days ago, swiftly tracking Seamus's movements. He hadn't done much to cover them, which worried Gilan. Seamus seemed like the person who always had a plan.

He'd also learned Seamus was now traveling with another man Gilan had concluded was a fellow assassin called Adam. The tavern owners all refused to say too much about either. Clearly terrified.

Gilan continued on in the direction of the smoke, it had to be them. There was no noise coming from that direction, but maybe they were already all asleep. It was starting to get dark.

Gilan slipped forward, ghosting through. Even someone looking for him would be hard pressed to catch any indication someone was in the wood.

Gilan could now make out firelight, flickering through the trees. Low voices came from the clearing.

"After we've killed Halt, we'll just slip out of town. The innkeeper thinks we've left, so that's good enough to keep a rope from our necks." A husky hibernian voice said. It wasn't Seamus, meaning it was probably Adam.

"He isn't coming tonight is he?" Seamus's voice, if Gilan remembered correctly. "'Cause I need a good night's sleep. This shoulder's still sore."

Someone rose then.

"Adam, what about the others? Won't they still be after us? Killing their friend like that?" another man Gilan couldn't identify asked.

"Maybe, but they'll never find us." Adam said.

Gilan slowly peeked from his spot. He could make out four people. Seamus, already fast asleep. Adam rose and pulled out his own bedroll. And two other men Gilan couldn't identify.

They all looked like they had experience enough, if they were friends of Seamus then they could easily have more.

Gilan waited until they had all gone to bed before he slipped away. Maybe Halt would have a clue as to who Adam and the other two were.

~A~A~A~

A day later. . .

Gilan reined Blaze in a little as he approached their appointed meeting spot, late in the afternoon.

For a moment he worried they hadn't gotten there yet, then Abelard and Tug let out whinnies of hello to Blaze. Blaze whinnied back.

The campsite suddenly came into view. Horace jumped to his feet, while Halt pretended to be his typical grim self.

Pauline sat off to the side, sipping coffee and observing it all.

Gilan slid off Blaze.

Will rose. "Let me take care of her."

Gilan relinquished Blaze's reins to Will and took a seat.

Will quickly took care of Blaze, making her comfortable.

Then they all gathered around the fire to hear Gilan's report.

He sat up straighter in his seat, leaning forward. "From what I overheard, Seamus isn't expecting any of us but Halt. He's picked three other men, assassins I'm assuming." Gilan had gone back the next night and searched their camp. "They're not expecting Halt to be thinking and just burst into their camp in the middle of the day, and be easy to capture and kill."

Halt nodded. "So we may have a slight advantage."

The rangers proceeded to put their heads together (almost literally) and make a plan.

Horace busied himself trying to perfect a recipe the cook at Castle Araluen had been trying to teach him, and occasionally putting in an obvious suggestion the rangers had managed to overlook.

Pauline critiqued all the little aspects of the plan ruthlessly until it was near perfection. As close at it could be at least.

They were about to finish up and eat Horace's masterpiece when Gilan remembered something he'd wanted to ask Halt. "One of Seamus's cronies seemed to know you, have a grudge. Do you know someone named Adam?"

Halt and Will exchanged a glance. "Adam?" they said in unison.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Sorry the chapter's so short, and late, and if I happen to have breached or be breaching any etiquette.**

**Chapter**** Seven**

Gilan could tell from Halt and Will's twin grins that something was up.

"Yes, we do know him." Halt leaned back. "He's the assassin that first came after me, did a terrible job of it. I renamed him Amos."

Will was staring into space with a grin, as if remembering the event.

Gilan raised one eyebrow. "You renamed him?"

Halt nodded. "Left him at the closest garrison. He must've been working with Seamus all along to get me to come to Hibernia. I'd known Seamus had used him to bait me, didn't figure he was in on it."

"But you renamed him?" Gilan cut in.

"His name was Adam Halburn, I changed it Amos Halburn."

"I don't think he liked his new name." Will stated.

Gilan was relieved to see him smiling again, it'd been too long without it.

Gilan chuckled. "Renamed him." Only Halt would do that. "Watch out Horace, you'll be next."

Horace glanced up from the food. "Huh?"

Gilan waved it off. "Nevermind."

Horace was quite content with that answer and returned to cooking.

Pauline shook her head. "It's just as well you were never near any position requiring tact."

Halt snorted. "At least you're not going to wing it." He added the last bit somewhat sarcastically.

Pauline gave him a pointed look, he shrugged.

Gilan glanced to Pauline quickly, then grinned. this is definitely going to work."


End file.
